Wrexham's Ysgol Rhosnesni and Ysgol Clywedog merger talks

Councillors are being asked to launch a public consultation on the shake-up

Two secondary schools could be merged 10 years after a £20m re-organisation of education in Wrexham town centre.

One option considered sees pupils aged three to 16 attending one site, merging Ysgol Rhosnesni and Ysgol Clywedog.

Officials say surplus places at high schools and pressure on primary school places has prompted the rethink.

It also comes after education watchdog Estyn put the two high schools in special measures due to "unsatisfactory" performance.

The council has written to the minister for education to request that an interim executive board be put in place at each school to take over the role of the governing bodyExecutive board report, Wrexham Council

Academic results at both schools showed limited improvement in summer 2013 compared to the previous year, according to a report to Wrexham's executive board meeting on Tuesday.

Councillors gave their backing to the hold a public consultation giving parents three options:

"Support and challenge" Ysgol Clywedog and Ysgol Rhosnesni to improve whilst remaining in their current form

Create a through-school for three-16 year olds at either or both Ysgol Clywedog and Ysgol Rhosnesni

Combine both Ysgol Rhosnesni and Ysgol Clywedog into a single through school for three-16 year olds with different phases of education on different sites

The report says after school inspections in 2013, Estyn put both in special measures - meaning they are placed under review - as "current performance and the prospects for improvement were unsatisfactory".

It added: "As a result of the inspection findings and the insufficient improvement in pupil attainment the council has written to the minister for education to request that an interim executive board be put in place at each school to take over the role of the governing body.

"This is intended to increase the pace of improvement in both schools."

Ysgol Clywedog and Ysgol Rhosnesni were opened when three town centre schools were reorganised due to the falling number of pupils and the need to invest in and update existing school buildings.

One option is creating a "through-school" for three-16 year olds at either site